Pencil



' F. c. DEU

Jan. 21,l 1936.

PENCIL Filed 1360.7, Y1934 NWN Patented Jan. l2l, 1936 -rENclL v f Frank'C. Deli, Chicago, Ill., assigner tokAuto-` point Company, Chicago,l Ill., a corporationof l i Illinois y Application December 7, 19314, Serial 756,420 comms. ,milza-1s) My invention relates to pencils, and particularly to pencils of the type known in thetrade as "propel and repel. lInthis typevthe lead may be advanced and retracted by. relative right hand 5 and left hand rotation of theA propelling mechanism. l

The object of my invention is to provide a pencil of the character describedlthat may be economically constru'cted, easily assembled, and that will'operate correctly 'for long periodsfwithout disarrangement. Specic objects and yadvantages: will be discussed in the accompanying description.

The inventionwill bemore 'readily understood by reference tothe accompanyingy drawing, in

Fig. 1 isa longitudinal, sectional view through a pencil constructed in accordance with my invention; f f j,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal, sectional view of the lowerv end construction, showing the parts in lead-ejecting position; t

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are enlarged sectional views on Fig. 1;

the lines 33, 4 4, and 5-5 respectively oi Fig. 6 is a plan view of the lead shuttle and' ejector in assembled relation;

Fig. 'Z is a longitudinal sectional View through a pencilbarrel` of slightly differentform;

v Fig. 8 is a sectional view'on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional -view througha completed. pencil having a barrel'such as is shownl in Fig. 7-

and containing the operating mechanismshown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive. Y

Inthe drawing, and referring to -the mechanism `shown in Figs. 1 to 6, I have illustrated a'pencil body orbarrel I0, having an axial opening, and partly `lined with `a lead magazine member II.

40 This member is'.oi.'v incomplete tubular form as best shown inl Fig. 5, the marginal edges I2 -being bent inward to occupy radial position and serving to `deilne a lead chamber'l3, for the reception' of long leads I4. At a point near the rear `end of the member II, I deiiectfthe metal inwardly, as at I5, the projectionso formed, together with the radial flanges lI2 dening a spacethat isv eccentric to the axis of thebarrel, and ofa diameter corresponding substantially toxthat of thevsplral I 6, later to be described. kAs a result of this arrangement'of parts, the spiral is deflectedsuf` ciently fromfone side of the barrel to provide a space to accommodate spare leads. o Aneraser ferrule I'I is projected into the open upper end of the barrel, the ferrule being shaped to receive an eraser I8 and itsassociated bushing I9, the parts being surmountedby a cap 20. l

The operating-omechanism'includes a tip, consisting of a metal part 2i havinga shankv 22, and

a=mo1ded part 23, preferably composed of bake- 5 n lite, that is molded inv place over theshank .22; y Mounted Withinfthe shank 22 is' alead tubev 24," substantially all of the part within'thefshank ,'22 being of complete cylindrical form, while vthe-part 25 extendingjto 4substantially the upperend of 10 'the barrel has an open-slot 26 therein, as shownl in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. y l

The lead tube is anchored within ,the shank of nthe metal tip as best" shown in Figsf2 and 3-by deilectirig'orupsetting a portion '21. of thefshank 15 into the slot 26 in its extremelower end. the'lead tube is held against rotation'f and longitudinal movement relative'to the tip. A

VThe open spiral I 6- is fixed to the'vbarrel by means of a 'sleeve 28, the lower endof whichis 20 slitted, thesleeve being' joined to the spiralby means of la projection or'lug 29 on the'spir'ai that intertswith a corresponding recess in the metal of the sleeve at its upper end. The sleeve hasa very tight friction t in the axial-'opening in the 425 lower end of the barrel.. 'I'he portion of the sleeve 28 that projectsbeyond thelower end of the barrel is 'slitted, as stated, and the walls are thinned somewhat, as indicated at 3U, to permit the slitted end to project into a space provided in theupper 30 end of the bakelitve tip` 23. 'I'he relief, 'or thinning, permitsthe sleeve to be slightly compressed, andA thus insures a continued frictional resistance .to relative rotation` between the tip and body without-,conflict with the spiral.- Of` course, the '35 same `result fmay be-secured by slightly flaring the projecting,Y slitted vportion of-the sleevefand providing a vslightly enlarged opening in the tip to compensate therefor.r 1

Thelead clutch, or shuttle, 34| is formed-from 40 a section of thin spring bronze, is of tubular form, havingy a continuous slit fromend to end thereof, and at a pointr intermediate [its ends, the twin lugs 32, 33 are formed. These lugs are I shaped from the oppositeedges of the metal, and 45 when formed are` spaced apart, asiat 34. The

' edges35 are arrangedl diagonally to correspond to the taper of the spiraL. The arrangement is' such that, in order to insert the twin lugwithin theconvolutions of thespiral, it is necessary/to 50 compress the two parts against the' spring of the metal. 4The movement of theV two parts oi" the lug, as the "result of such compression, being angular vto the longitudinal axis of the spiral, the

ilt between the lug and the spiral will always be 55 resilient and tight. Thus, there will be no play or lost motion in reversing the motion of the lead.

The shuttle slides freely within the lead tube and, at its upper end, is slotted, as at 36, to receive the projecting lug 31 of the follower, or ejector, 38. An extension 39 of the follower projects beyond the lug 31, and is adapted to underlie the spiral and to prevent jamming at the extremity of movement of the ejector.

It will be understood that these -parts are small and fragile, particularly the ejector and that when an excessive force is applied as may occur at the limit of movement, the tendency is to force the lug up into the spiral and to bend the ejector.

As heretofore described, the spiral is caused to occupy a position eccentric to the axis of the pencil, this being permitted by reason of the resiliency of all the parts, and of slight clearance, or play, sufficient to allow the necessary vlateral deflection. At the upper end a fiber washer 40, and a metal ring 4! surround the lead tube, the washer abutting the end of the spiral to provide a thrust member. The Yring and washer are anchored by spreading,,or ilaring,the free end of the lead tube, as indicated at 42.

In the construction shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9 the operating mechanism is identical. However, in the use of a molded bakelite barrel 43, a chamber 44 can be provided therein. It is, however, necessary to deflect somewhat the free end of the spiral and to accomplish the purpose I form lugs 45 on the eraser ferrule 46. In this case I find it unnecessary to deect the spiral throughout the full length of the chamber.

'I'he operation is as follows. With the ejector retracted, which will occur following the first reverse movement of the parts, a lead, such as indicated at I4, in Fig. 1, is projected into theopenv lower end where it is frictionally engaged by the lower end of the shuttle 3l. Further backward movement will draw the lead rearwardly into the position shown in Fig. 1. Thereafter, the` lead is fedforward, as required, until the twin lug 32-33 runs out of the spiral and is stopped, as shown in Fig. 2. Continued forward rotation will cause the ejector to travel forward in the slot 36 of thev shuttle and eject the lead, as shown in Fig. 2.

Obviously, the construction is capable of modification, and I do not wish to be limited except as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a pencil of the "propel-repel type, the combinatin of a barrel, and a relatively rotatable tip, a spiral xed relative to the barrel, lead advancing mechanism operated by the tip and cooperating with said spiral, means in the' barrel for deflecting the spiral away from the axis of the barrel to provide a reserve lead chamber alongside of said spiral, said means providing side walls for defining the lateral limits of said lead chamber.

2. In combination, a barrel having an axial chamber,- a spiral fixed in said chamber and of substantially less diameter than said chamber,.

and co-operating with said spiral, a tubular member within said chamber having a slot, the marginal edges of which are bent inward to a radial position, said bent edges constituting flanges that serve to deect said spiral out of axial alignment and to define the sides of a reserve lead chamber.

4. In combination, a barrel having 'an axial chamber, a spiral anchored to the barrel at the lower end thereof, a split sleeve projecting from the opening in the lower end of the barrel, a tip mounted for rotation on said split sleeve, a lead tube fixed to the tip and projecting through the spiral and fixed for rotation to the upper end of the spiral, and lead advancing mechanism provided in the tube.

5. In combination, a tubular barrel, an open spiral fixed in the lower end of the barrel, a re silient tubular projection over-lying the spiral and projecting beyond the lower end of the barrel, a tip mounted on the projection with capacity for rotation, a lead tube anchored in the tipA and projecting through the spiral and rotatively flxed beyond the upper end thereof, and lead advancing mechanism in said tube and operated by relative rotation of said tip and barrel.

6. In combination, a tubular barrel, a spiral iixed therein providing a track, a tip rotatively connected to said barrel, a slotted lead tube xed to the tip and extending axially through said spiral, a shuttle within said lead tube, said shuttle having a lug engaging the spiral and operating in the slot in said lead tube, said shuttle being in the form of a slit tube of resilient material, the slit in said tube extending through said lug, the dimension of the lug transversely of the spiral track, being greater than the transverse dimension of the track, whereby the lug must be compressed in order to enter the space between the convolutions of the spiral.

7. In combination, a tubular barrel, a spiral fixed therein and providing a spiral track, a tip rotatively connected to said barrel, a slotted lead tube iixed to the tip and extending axially through said spiral, a shuttle within said lead tube, said shuttle having a lug engaging the spiral and operating in the slot in said lead tube, said shuttle being of tubular form and the lug thereon being slit in an angular line relative to the axis of the tube, said slit providing for compression of the lug in order to enable it to occupy said spiral track.

8. In a pencil, the combination of a tubular barrel, a spiral anchored therein, a tip consisting of a metal terminal portion having a shank, and

a non-metal portion mounted on said shank, a lead tube anchored in said shank, the tube being of full cylindrical form in substantially all of the portion engaging the shank and slotted throughout the remainder of its length, a portion of the metal of the end of shank being deflected into said slot to anchor the tube within the shank against relative longitudinal and angular motion, and lead `advancing mechanism carried in said tube.

9. A shuttle for use in a pencil of the propelrepel type, said shuttle being in the form of a slit tube of resilient material and having a lug formed thereon, the slit in said tube extending diagonally acros said lug, the dimension of the lug between the faces that engage with a spiral track provided in said spiral track whereby the lug must be compressed in order to occupy said space.

FRANK C. DELI. 

